Brussels Summer Film Festival Spotlights Taiwan, Opening Film "Goodbye, Dragon Inn" Resonates

(CNA, Brussels, July 30) -- The Brussels Summer Film Festival kicked off on July 30, with director Tsai Ming-liang's "Goodbye, Dragon Inn" as the opening film, drawing a full house. Some audience members were deeply impressed by the film's artistic techniques, while others expressed that it ignited their interest in Taiwanese cinema.

This year's Brussels Summer Film Festival features Taiwan as its theme for the first time. The festival will screen 18 works, including "The Assassin," "The Grandmatron," "Girls," and "The Left-Handed Girl."

The opening film, Tsai Ming-liang's "Goodbye, Dragon Inn," was shown at Cinema Galeries, located in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels. The cinema lobby was packed before the screening, and the theater was completely full once the film began.

Ambassador to the European Union and Belgium Hsieh Dar-wei told CNA that he was delighted to see such a large turnout. He expressed hope that the 18 Taiwanese films to be screened subsequently would each attract a similar audience, sparking discussion and reflection.

Levon Kirakosian, co-curator of the film festival, told CNA that "Goodbye, Dragon Inn" is one of his favorite films in this year's selection because it is a story set within a cinema, making the experience of watching it in a cinema particularly special.

This year's Brussels Summer Film Festival is collaborating with the Taiwan Film Festival Berlin. Two curators from the Berlin festival, Chiu Sheng-ta and Wu Hao-ping, also attended the opening event.

Chiu Sheng-ta told CNA in an interview that he was deeply moved to see the opening film's screening completely sold out.

Regarding the concept behind selecting and curating the films for this year's Taiwan theme, which focuses on "Taipei," Chiu Sheng-ta explained that the works showcase Taiwan's island perspective and a sense of diaspora. For Europeans, Taipei is often the first Taiwanese city they encounter. Through these 18 films, viewers can see Taipei, various elements radiating from Taipei, and the experiences and thoughts of those who wish to visit Taipei.

Belgian national Ian, who attended the film screening with Taiwanese friends, told CNA that he had heard of Tsai Ming-liang's strong artistic style before but only truly felt and was deeply impressed by it after watching the film. Another foreign attendee mentioned that he hadn't had many opportunities to watch Taiwanese films before but plans to watch more during the festival.

The Brussels Summer Film Festival runs from June 30 to August 11, featuring a total of 18 Taiwanese films spanning different eras and themes. Three outdoor screenings are also planned, showing "The Assassin," "The Bold, the Corrupt, and the Beautiful," and "The Left-Handed Girl." (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150701

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "First News" APP to get the latest news in real-time

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.